Appeals court rejects settlement between publishers and writers

The U.S. Court of Appeals in New York yesterday refused to accept a settlement agreement between several publishers, including the New York Times Co., and freelancer writers. The writers had accused the publishers of copyright infringement, claiming they electronically reproduced the writers’ works in various databases.

The court said in its decision that the settlement inadequately represented a group of freelance writers with certain claims.

“We conclude that the district court abused its discretion in certifying the class and approving the settlement, because the named plaintiffs failed to adequately represent the interests of all class members,” the appeals panel wrote.